


The warmth of family

by Ceciliedr



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Batbrothers (DCU), Batbrothers (DCU) Bonding, Christmas, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, Family Feels, Fluff and Angst, Jason Todd is Red Hood, Tim Drake is Robin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:35:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28285584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ceciliedr/pseuds/Ceciliedr
Summary: Jason is huddled in front of the fireplace, staying in tonight because he doesn't want to run into Batman and the fight that will mean. The last thing he expects is for someone else to track him down.“Nobody should be alone on Christmas.” There is a terrible weight to his voice. A knowing that tears at Jason’s heart. He finds himself stepping back and opening the door further, before he makes a conscious decision to do so.“It’s cold outside, why don’t you come in.”
Relationships: Batfamily Members & Jason Todd, Tim Drake & Jason Todd
Comments: 22
Kudos: 261





	The warmth of family

**Author's Note:**

> Happy holidays to those who celebrate and a great day to everybody❤️
> 
> This was supposed to just be a pure fluff peace, but some angst snuck in there anyway😅ups.

Jason pokes the logs, watching the sparks dance above them. Beautiful colors and glowing pattens coming to life in the embers. Enjoying the feeling of heat on his skin. For a suburban house, this place has terrible heating. Nearly as bad as some of the apartments in Crime Ally he uses as bolt holes.

Thick snowflakes are slowly falling past the windows. All of Gotham covered in a heavy layer of it. Most people love the sight of snow, how it hides the uglier sides of the city. Jason can’t stand the sight. It makes something feel tight in his chest ever since he was a kid and had to stuff his shoes with old newspapers to keep his toes.

Guilt constricts his throat. He should be out there. Should be looking after the people of the Ally in this weather. Making sure no street kid or working girl freeze to death.

He doesn’t want to run into Batman, not today.

Crime is usually at its lowest right now and Jason made his rounds earlier. He’s spent enough money on the shelters to make sure they are well stocked. Set up a heated warehouse and spread the word on the street. Everybody knowing it came with no strings attached and was under his protection.

Jason leans back against the coffee table. Picking up the mug of tea and fitting his fingers around it. The steam filling the air with the smell of Earl Grey. The fire crackles.

* * *

A series of knocks shakes him back to this world. Hands tightening around the cover. Nobody should know about this place. For his title as The World’s Greatest Detective, Bruce would never look for him here. Couldn’t imagine Jason so far from his humble roots. Jokes on him.

Or maybe B finally wised up.

Jason squashes the tiny glimmer of hope before it grows big enough to hurt him. Putting the book down and pushing himself off the floor. Socks silent on the carpet as he makes his way towards the front door. Hides a gun behind his back before he crakes it open.

It’s the freaking Replacement.

Jason resists the urge to slam the door in his face. It won’t keep anyone with their training out for long. Part of what makes this house blend in is an average security system.

“How the hell did you find me here?”

The kid is squirming under Jason’s gaze. Dressed in civilian, a purple scarf obscures half his face. Black locks peeking out under a knitted blue beanie that used to be Dick’s. Pared with his red coat, he’s nearly as much of a color disaster as his alter ego.

“I’m good at finding people.” The kid says, fiddling with the straps of his backpack.

“And why would you want to find me?” Jason hasn’t gone after the kid in a while. In fact, his been avoiding Robin like the plague for months. Afraid seeing the kid would trigger a fit of pit rage beyond his control.

Good to know it’s mostly the Robin costume that seems to set him off. All he feels now is annoyance. That and a growing pit of dreed tearing at his chest. Jason always hates not knowing. Lack of information gets you hurt or killed.

Replacement mumbles something too low to hear.

“Come again?”

“I said, it’s Christmas.”

“I’m aware, it’s kinda hard to miss.” The whole world seems to have the holiday bug. Decorations everywhere. Nothing but Christmas movies on the tv and similar songs on the radio. It’s all holly jolly cheer and he’s frankly long over it.

Kid fiddles some more with his bag straps, looking everywhere but Jason’s face. He lets out a sigh.

“Did you want something?”

The kid’s entire face goes red and it has nothing to do with the cold. He mumbles something else. Jason feels his patience wearing thin and puts a hand behind his ear.

“You should come to the manor.”

Jason is just gobsmacked for a few seconds, before he picks his jaw off the floor. “Don’t know how you missed it, but I’m not exactly welcome there.”

“That isn’t true.” The kid gets a stubborn set to his jaw “they miss you. Wish you would come home. Alfred and Dick have both said as much.”

“Not B I take it?”

Kid tightens his grip on the strap. “Not out loud, but it’s still true.”

Jason carts a hand through his hair, putting the gun down on a decorative table next to the door. He feels tired. Some part of him exhausted no matter how much he sleeps.

“Sorry to spell it out kid, but far as B’s concerned, I’m not his kid. Just something that crawled out of his grave.”

“That’s not true.” The kids’ lips are pressed together.

“You think I never broke into the cave? I saw the so-called ‘memorial’ to his good soldier.” Jason spits out the words, fighting to keep green out of his vision. “The surveillance tapes of him telling Dick it didn’t matter that it was me under the hood, that it changed nothing.”

“You didn’t see him after you died.” The Replacement is meeting Jason’s eyes with steel in his own. “He nearly let the city swallow him whole in his grief. I toke up the Robin mantle to keep him alive, to stop him from following you into the grave like he wanted to.”

“You want a gold star for it?” The word’s out of Jason’s mouth before he registers what he’s saying. Anger pushing aside the mess of emotions swirling in his chest. A heavy weight behind his eyes.

The anger bursts like a balloon when he sees the kid hunch in on himself.

“You not trying to kill me would be nice.”

“Consider it your Christmas present then.” Because Jason hasn’t wanted to hurt the kid since the tower. When green-tinged revenge turned into his worst nightmare. His body a mass of ice nearly beyond his control. Nausea choking him as he left behind another kid broken on the floor. Tormenting someone else just like the Joker did to him.

Jason had hidden away from the world for days afterward and it had nothing to do with the people out for his blood. His nightmares worse than ever.

The kid is watching him closely. Before something loosens in his shoulders, a small smile on his lips. A new spark in clever blue eyes.

“Thank you.” The bite of sass to the kid’s words pull a smile from Jason.

“So was that all? Don’t you need to get back before someone tracks you down?”

The kid hesitates. Fiddling with the strap again, before seeming to make a conscious effort to stop. Opens his mouth. Hesitates. Closing it. Shifting his weight around before the words finally come spilling out.

“They don’t expect me back for hours.”

Jason’s brows knit together. “Why is that?”

“They think I’m spending the evening with my friends.”

“So why aren’t you?”

The kid hunch in on himself, staring down at his booths. Jason has to lean in closer to catch his words.

“Nobody should be alone on Christmas.” There is a terrible weight to his voice. A knowing that tears at Jason’s heart. He finds himself stepping back and opening the door further, before he makes a conscious decision to do so.

“It’s cold outside, why don’t you come in.”

Tim’s entire face lights up.

Jason turns around and heads towards the kitchen. Setting another kettle of water over. The kid doesn’t make much sound as he moves around, Jason more sense than hear him hovering in the doorway.

“You make tea the same way Alfred does.”

Jason snorts. “Who did you think taught me how to do it properly?” A glance over his shoulder shows Tim leaning against the doorframe.

“At least someone listened.” Tim’s eyes are studying the space, absentmindedly playing with the sleave of his black sweater. “It’s not like B or Dick are much good in the kitchen.”

“You can say that again.”

“So do you live here?” The kid has moved on to taking in the living room. Eyes browsing over the titles on the nearest bookshelf.

“For now. I don’t make a habit of staying in the same place too long, makes me too easy to find.”

“Who are you hiding from?”

Jason rolls his eyes. “You don’t just walk away from the League of Assassins. They are even worse than a gang that way.” He casts another look behind him in time to see Tim wince. 

* * *

They settle down on the couch with the tea, after Jason puts a new log on the fire and throws a fluffy blanket over the kid’s lap. He has to spend a good while luring Tim out of his shell, but the kid turns out to be both funny, sassy, and wickedly smart. He’s also both a giant nerd and a massive geek. What shocks Jason the most is the true story of how Tim became Robin.

“Wait I remember you. The little kid with the way to expensive clothes and camera for the slums. I had to rescue you of a rusty fire escape.”

The kid is pouting. “I could have made it down myself.”

“Keep dreaming, you were so close to becoming a splat-cake on the pavement.” Jason holds up his hand for emphasis, leaving only a slither of space between his thumb and index finger.

“I was fine.” Tim continues to sulk. “I was out there multiple times a week, I could look after myself.”

“It’s a major miracle you survived this long.”

“Is not.”

“A rich kid running around the Ally at night.” Jason raises a single eyebrow. “You should be so dead, how the hell did you not get mugged?”

“Well they tried, I never went out without maze.”

“So maybe there is some brain left in there.” Jason leans forward and flicks Tim on the forehead. Who looks cross-eyed at the spot with an expression reminiscent of a disgruntled kitten. 

“You still have the pictures?”

Tim’s entire face turns bright red again, fiddling with the rim of his now empty mug. He’s trying to hide behind his bangs, sneaking glances at Jason ever so often. This time he lets the kid take his time.

“I’m just going to refill these.” Jason accepts Tim’s mug and heads for the kitchen. Having some of his appetite back, he also brings a plate of cookies back out. Surprised to find two packages in Tim’s lap.

One is meticulously wrapped. Dark red paper and a back ribbon. Everything about it speaks of a professional wrap job. The other seems extra messy in comparison. Christmas trees and little santa elves on a white background. Uneven corners and an excess of tape. Something Jason would have produced his first Christmas in the manor.

Tim hesitantly hands him the professional one, running the red bond of the other between his fingers in the meantime.

Jason once again has to pick his jaw off the floor. Nobody has gotten him a gift since… since before he died. He sets down the tableware and accepts the present, trying to hide how much his hands shake.

Sitting back down on the couch before he even attempts to open it. The cushions soft beneeth him. Fire crackeling in the background.

Peeling back the paper the familiar smell hits him first, that of old and well-loved pages. Gold letters and markings on reddish-brown. He knows what it is even before reading the words. A first edition of Pride and Prejudice.

“I know you love to read. And you might already have- Dick always said this was your favorite book and I thought-” 

Jason looks over at Tim and there is nothing fake about the smile he shots the kid. Something warm blooms in a part of his heart Jason long thought dead, left behind in the grave.

“Thank you Timmers, I always wanted a copy like this and-” Jason slowly reaches over and puts a hand on the kid’s shoulder, giving it a little squeeze. “Thank you.”

Tim still has a blush covering his cheeks, eyes all over the place, but he’s leaning into Jason’s touch. He looks like he wants to hide away the other present, but instead, he slowly holds it out towards Jason. Tim handles it like it’s about to blow and Jason would be worried about explosives if he thought for a second the kid had it in him.

“You don’t have to like it. It’s not good- I just thought you would like to remember the good times as well and-” Tim snaps his mouth shut, cutting off his own ramblings. Jason’s not sure what has the kid so nervous and he refuses to find it endearing.

Refuses very venomously.

He drops a chocolate cookie in the kid’s hand, nudging his mug of tea closer to him on the coffee table.

This gift is even heavier than the other and double the size. Jason finds himself carefully unwrapping it, despite its messy state to begin what. Tucking the to-and-from label into his pocket when Tim looks down at the snack in his hand, nibbling on it.

It’s a photo album.

Jason hardly dares breathe as he turns the first page. Finding a picture of himself in robin colors mid-swing. Taken at an angle obscuring the grapple-line. It looks like he’s flying. Yellow cape fanning out behind him. Big grin on his face.

Something is his chest aches.

Jason turns the pages. Finding himself next to Nightwing, Dick’s ruffling his hair. There is a picture of Babs in her batgirl uniform putting him in a headlock. Mischievous smile stretching across her face.

Jason remembers that night.

A picture of Batman with his hand on Jason’s shoulder. Batman mid-laugh, clutching his stomach and Jason next to him looking smug. Nightwing hanging of Batman’s back like an overgrown koala. Him, Batgirl, and Nightwing getting smoothies with their feet dangling over the rooftop edge.

A series of shots capturing Jason perched on Dick’s shoulders as his older brother balances over a cable line like it’s a tightrope. B showing up and shouting at them both in the background.

Picture after picture after picture. Him and his family immortalized on the pages, happiness radiating from every single photo. Pressure is building behind his eyes. Jason runs a finger over the smiling face of his younger self.

There is even a picture of Alfred in front of the batcomputer, domino fitted snugly to his face. A shot Tim must have sneaked after he joined them.

“Jason?” The kid sounds so unsure and Jason can’t help it. He puts the album down and pulls Tim into his arms. The kid is stiff as a board at first, Jason is just about to let him go, when Tim melts into his embrace. Pressing closer to Jason and clutching his red sweater between strong fingers.

Jason rests his head against the kids and has to clear his throat several times before he can get the words out.

“Thank you. I- Thank you so much.”

Tim doesn’t answer, just clings to him tighter and Jason is fine with that. He has enough trouble keeping himself under control. The kid is way to scrawny beneath his oversized sweater, despite the impressive amount of muscle, Jason can feel his bones this close.

He has the ridiculous urge to bundle Tim up in blankets, stuff the kid full of healthy food, and protect him from the world.

The tea’s gone cold by the time both of them are ready to pull away and Jason already finds himself missing the contact. He refuses to turn into Dick, that is not happening.

Jason gets up and heads for the kitchen. Scrubbing his eyes before the kid notices the tears in them, threatening to spill over. Calling back over his shoulder;

“You had a proper dinner?”

“No.”

“Then come help me make one.” 

A glance shows another bright smile lighting up the kid’s face.

The smell of the roast wafting out from the oven. His elbow bumps Tims over the sink as they peel the potatoes. Christmas music in the background. Jason gave in a turned on the radio sitting on the window still.

Jason had long since stopped noticing the hole in his chest, it’s been there too long. His attention’s back on it, since it’s finally filled. A part of him he thought broken beyond repair starting to heal.

Jason rethinks going back to the manor.

**Author's Note:**

> In my home country, Christmas is celebrated on the evening of the 24 and I took some inspiration from that here. In case anybody was confused. 
> 
> I don't expect to post again before the first, so happy new year everybody. May the next one be better🤞


End file.
